(Credit from: http://theocddiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BieHFWCCUAIa74E.jpg)
Still trying to wrap my head around Newport’s speech.
It contradicts from what my interpreting teacher, Emma, said back in 2015.
We had around 20 students in the Mandarin interpreting class, and when we were asked why did we choose interpreting, the answers were different. My friend Aaron said he wanted to improve his English, I am the only one who was passionate about helping people overcoming the language barrier, some mentioned about the flexibility of working as a freelance interpreter, others just bluntly explained because they get 5 extra points for their migration application.
From what I’ve known, only 5 of us who passed the test and obtained accreditation actually follows through and became interpreters.
I had a long chat with Emma one day after she spent her private time helping us with revisions and practice for the big exam, she said ‘It is not difficult to get students to study interpreting, it is difficult to get people who have passion for this industry.’
It’s true. I have never find myself studying so hard for a subject, and oddly enjoyable.
My typical Asian parents tried to pressure my younger brother and I to become lawyers or doctors, sadly (for them) neither of us listened to them. The piece of advice I gave my brother when he’s deciding what to do at University was ‘Choose something you like, because if you don’t, the next 3 years are going to be torture.’ And I prepare to give the same piece of advice to my daughter when she goes to Uni (around 10 years from now on).